traver



Nov. 13 1923.

H. G. TRAVER AEROPLANE SWING 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 flle/150W H GTra'aer 35M Filed Feb. 7.' 1920 Nov. 13, 1923. 1,473,980 i H. G. TRAVER AEROPLANE SWING Filed Feb. 7. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 13 1923. Y 1,473,980

H. G. TRAVER l' AEROPLANE SWING f med Feb. 7, 1.9120 4 sheets-sheet 4 31'1 4o z-S-l;

1i li k.vices comm0nl7 termed -swings,"f and ity is the ob]ect ot the invention Patented Nov. 13, i923.

UNITED STATES :..P-.TENT g ferries.

HARRY G. TRAVER, OF BEAVER FALLS, PENNSYLVANIA.

L AEROPLANE SWING.

HApplication led February 7, 1920. Serial No. 355,881.

To UU 'who/m. if; fni-(zi'g/ conce/ru.' Be itknoivn that I. vHARRY G. Tnavnn, a citizen ot the UnitedStates, and iesident'oi' ABeaver F alls, in? the county of. Beaver ano State ot' Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and uset'ul Improvements in Aeroplane Sivingsot which the following is a speci-I 4tica-tion.

This` inventioinrelates to amusement deas Aeroplane to provide an amusement device ot this character which isof a collapsible structure in which allot' the parts are arranged and constructed to be rcleasablv connected anddisconnected, whereby the same ma)r be quickl;T

erected and taken or knocked down and the parts arranged in a` collapsed and compact structure to be readily packed and transported.

In carrying out the invention l' provide a collapsible'*supporting :baseand a tower lo be supported therebyv comprising nested-or Ateleecoping sections, together with means to move the tower toupriglit position on the basey and to extendI the sections 1vlien in upright position. A sectional shaft. is adapted to be rotatably mounted in co-axial relation in the tower sections withk arms supported from the inner and outer ends fromk the shaftto extend radiallv therefrom, with pas` songer cari-ving cars in imitation of aero- Yplanes or hydroplanes suspended from said arms, means being provided to rotate the shatt and therebyY move the passenger carrying cars in a circular path.

A t'urthei' object of the invention relates to a knock doivn passenger carrying car for aeroplane sivings wherebyv the same may-be collapsed into a compactstruc'ture to takeup a inininiurnamount'o-f space in transportation.

' Another object of the invention relates to an imitation motor or' engine to `beutilized in connection With amusement devices ot lthis character. ineluding a: revoluble propeller with means operable b v the revolving of the ,propeller to malte a noise in imitationot the exhaust ot' an internal combustion engine.

Other objects andadvantages Will hereinafter appear. l

In carrying out the invention l provide a base comprising a pair ot girders connected in parallel and spaced relation'bv cross nieirbers, each girder having a pair ot auxiliary .girders connected and adapted to extend at the toiver. i Passenger vcai.

right angles thereto in line with the connectina' iuemberot A.the niaingirders and tovbe adliusted toextend parallel with and-lie coni tiguous tov the main girders; A collapsible tower-consisting otv telescoping or nested sections is arranged to'beremovablyv mount-r ed; upon tlie'base,each tower section 1 carrying a shaft section arranged to beceupled in axial. alineinent and operatively connected to :driving means vcarried by the base. Arms are releasably supported at ytheir inner' and outer fends from `the eshattto extend radiallyv and in spaced relation therefrom and-'beyond movabliy connected-to and suspended from the outer endsor't-ne armsrsaid cars being iconstructed and contormed :vin shape to a hvdroplane and are ot a knock-down structure whereby-the vcars may be collapsed and compact-1 57 folded to take up a minimum Figure 3 is a` liront? elevation'ot a portion of a :pairotplanes-used mr connection with the sivi-ngfto show the inanner'oii mounting a. propeller in relation to an imitation engine mounted between said planes.

Figure at is af'perspective view 'ot a passenger carryingcar in imitation ot' the fuse- `v'lage-oi'anaeroplanefor hydroplane used in -connecti'onwith the swing.

Figure 5 is a side elevation-ofthe passenger carrying ca'rf'shown` in Figure 4.

Figure G is a perspective view of a collapsible side `supporting fraine'of Ythe pas senger carrying 'car shown in Figures 4 and 5;

Figure 7 is a pla-n View and Figure 8 a side elevation`r partly broken awa-y, ofmeans torsuspend the passenger carrying cars from a rotatable support.

yFigure 9 is an enlarged sectional plan `.vievnand 'Figure l0 is a perspective view' of a portionmese-@tions of a telescopingor adjustable tower for a rotatable sliatt by -ineans of which the passenger carrying cars :are rotatabliT supported.

igure il is a. perspective view of a pair ollv Sha-ft sections bv which the cars are rois a plan vvieivot :ibase upmlfx;

tatably supported and showing means to couple them together (zo-axially.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of a portion ot the shaft supporting tower showing the means to rotatably7 support the car supportingv shaft centrally thereof.

Figure 13 is a side elevation olf the tower supportingbase.

Figure let is a side elevation showing the moans and manner ot upending a telescope/tl or collapsed tower upon the base.

Figure l5 isa side elevation of the base and tower mount-ed thereon and showing;` the'manner ot'extendiug the telescoping sections of the tower. o

Figure 1.6 is a side elevation oit a portion ot the car carrying shaft showing the means oil' suspending the trom said shatt and the mannerv of moving' said means to car suspending position` Figure 17 is a cross sectional view oi the car traine; and

Figure i8 isa perspective view showing the car in folded or collapsed condition.

Similar characters ot reference designate like parts throughout the dillerent views ot' thedrawingrs.

ln the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings the aiiiparatus is supported upon a oase consisting' ot a pair o't gir-ders 20. 2l of suitable construction and shown es built up ot structural shapes and terms oi steel, these `Ye/'irders being conneeted in spaced and parallel relation by transverse members 22, 23 and may also be connected at theirvoutcr ends bv trans verse meuibers 24 Two pairs not auxiliary girdors 27 and 28, 29 are connected to the ina-ingrirders to extend lateralli7 therefrom in parallel. and spaced relation in line withthe transverse members 23. '.Ihese'auxiliary girders are adapted to extend substantially et right angles to the main `ofirders and be adjusted to extend parallel with and lie contiguous to the main Ifrirders For this purpose the auxiliary girders adjacent their inner ends are pivot- 'ally connected to the main grirders as by pivot pins or bolts 30 passing! through plates 3l and the auxiliary girders and by means of which plates the main girde-rs 26, 27 and the' transverse members 22, 23 are rigidly secured together. and which plates are adapted t'or a further purpose to be hereinafter set forth. The auxiliary girders are secured in position to exten-d laterallv from the main grirders by bolts 32 engaging :the plates and auxiliar)7 gir-ders. The outer ends of the auxiliary` girders may also be bracedvbv transverse members 24;', 25( releasably connected to said girders. By releasing the bolts 32 and removing the transverse members 241C the auxiliary girders may be swung ou their pivotal connection 3() with the main rirders to extend. substantially parallel with and lie contiguous t0 the main girders 20t 21 as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2.

collapsible tower is adapted to be supported in upright or vertical position upon the girder connecting plates 3l of the base. rhis tower comprises telescoping sections, or sections which are adapted to be nested, ano shown in lthe-present instance as two in number, and 3.4, the one section as 34 being arranged to slidably ei'igjlfage iny the section B3. These tower sections are of open traine construction ot rectangular shape in section and built up oi? angle iron bars. .ach tower section consists ot' four angle ron corner pieces Il? fixed together in spaced, relation :it/'opposite ends and intermediate points by transversely extending truss liars B5 and bv diagronalli,Y extending truss hars 36, these truss bars preterabl7 the tower section guide blocks 38 are tired to the inner wall. ot the corner pieces ot the tower sections as by rivets or bolts 39 the heads ot whit-h engage in countersinks in the blocks to be flush with or l'ielow the surta-ce of the guide blocks, Figure 9.

The tower sections are adapted to be mounted and supported]upon' the base to extend upward tlieretrrnrr` To reidilj.7 up end the tower upon the hase two ott the end pieces ot the lo r tower section 33 are prosided at their i er ends with hinge inemhcfs el() and cooperatimr hingrc memliers are l: itl to two o!1 the grirder connecting plates l as shown :it L and the hir'z'e Vnoemlulrs conrected livrcmovable pintles. To raise the tower vions they are placed-relative to the in a horizontal position to pass the hiuee pintles fl'hrough the hinge 'members when the tower sections are n'ioved to uprigi'ht ixiosition to be supported upon the base bv the corner pieces ot' the lower section engaging the girder connectiugplatcs 32. lllhen the tower is hingedlv or pivotall;r connected to the suiiportiinr base as stated the tower is in horizontal. position omi is upended or raised to vertical posit on awt-'nthebaseln'hoistin ipparatusc prisina :i pair o t cables l2 icured at one end lo adjacent the top ot the lower tower section ond pased arounil sheaves carried at the top ot' rin poles al-flf sot substantiallv centrally of and at opposite sides of the base (Figure 14) and around sheaves l5 on the tower sections the opposite ends of the cables being connected to drums e6 revolubly carried by the lower section and adapted to be rotated by cranks having a worm and worm wheel connection with the drums as shown at 4i-7. lt will be obvious that by operating the cranks to rotate the drums to wind the cables thereon that the tower will be moved to upright position through its pivotal connection with the base to be supported upon the girder connecting plates 3l. The tower sections are secured in upright position b v bolts passed through brackets tixed to the corner pieces of the vlower tower section opposite to the corner pieces to which the hinge members are connected and the girder connecting plates 3l opposite to which the hinge members are connected.

In this position of the tower sections the section is nested within the section 33 and to extend or lift the tower 'sections the ables 42 are passed around pulley blocks i8 connected to the top of the lower tower section and pulley blocks -t9 connected to the. lower end of the tower section 34 as clearly shown in Figure 15./ the pulley blocks or sheaves 48, Lt9 being placed within the space between the tower sections whereby the raieing of the one tower section is j reatl;v facilitated. By rotating the drums 46 to wind the cables thereon it will be obvious the inner tower section will be raised or-extended relative to the lower tower section. By the arrangement described and the use of two hoists or drums the tower sections are readily moved to upright position and the rinner tower section raised to extended position. The tower sections are secured in extended posit-ion by bolts passing' through the overlapping ends of the corner pieces ot the tower sections as sli` wn in .Figure 1. To steady the tower braces 50 are provided, these braces being' pivotall)Y connected at their lower ends to the base girders and bolted to the corner pieces of the lower section at their upper ends whereby they ma)v be released and folded to lie contiguous to the base girders. y i

lich of the tower sections is adapted to support a shaft section to rotate on a vertical axis with the one shaft section (7o-axial with the other shaft section and operatively connected or coupled such relation. The

sectionl 5C in the tower section 3st is journaled in bearings 51 suiiported in iixed position by barsr52 extendig substantially between opposite corners ot the tower section lll; and arranged so that the bear are eoaxiallyv of the tower. fi shaft 5? iournaled in bearings similar 'to the beri in'the tower section Q". and which are romovablj.' connect ed to bars similar to the bars 52, The shaft. 5() has a coupling 54- tixed to the lower shaiii.

end thereof adapted to co-operate with a coupling member 55 iixed to the upper end of the shaft 53 to operativelyconnect the two shafts. lVhen the tower is to be dismantled the bearings for the shaft 53 are released and by slightly raising the shaft 50 the shaft. 523 may be moved to one side of the tower section 33 thereby permitting the tower section 3st with the shaft 50 to be moved into the tower section 34.

The shaft 53 is rotatably supported at the lower end in a bearing 56 mounted upon supporting bars -5T extending diagonally between the corners of the main girders 20, 21 and the girder connecting members 227 23. The shafts are rotated through a bevel gear on the shaft meshing' with a bevel pinion 59 fixed to a shaft 60 journaled in bearings supported by the bars 57 and the girder connecting member a gear 61 ou said shaft meshing with a pinion 62 fixed to a shaft 63 also journaled in bearings mounted on the bars 57 and member 23, and driven from a suitable source of power by a belt (not shown) passing around a pulley 64 fixed on the shaft 6?).

he shaft 5() is'of such length as to project above the top of the tower section 34, as clearly shown in Figure 1. A head 60 has a hub portion 61 whereby it is fixed upon the project-ing end of the shaft 50. rihe head 60 has an`annular flange 62 at the peripheral portion extending in a plane parallel with the axis of the head, said flange having' a series of pairs of recesses 63 eut through the flange. and the hub 6l has sockets or recesses 641- in line with the tlange recesses 63. A series of arms 65 to extend radially from the shaft 50r` and comprising a. panl ot angle iron bars secured together by rivets 66, are adapted to be supported at their inner end by the shaft by engaging in the recesses 62 and sockets 61N, the inner ends being' guided into the sockets 6d and held against lateral movement by lugs 67 projecting up from the face of the head.

' ln the present instance there are six of these arms although a greater or less number may be employed as desired. The outer ends of the arms are supported from the shaft by truss bars or cables 68 connected at one end to a disk 69 fixed to the upper extremity of the shaft 50 and the other ends connected to shackles '70 connected to pins passing through the outer ends of the arms 65. The arms are maintained in spaced relation one to the other by bars 71 extending between a pair of arms and connected at opposite ends to said arms. Passenger carrying cars (designated in a general way at C iu Figure 1l are suspended from the extremities of the arms by means of cables 72, These cables pass through shackles 73 at the ends of the arms and connected at opposite ends to the cars at opposite sides thereof. A. car

CII

C is supported by a pair of arms 65, one arm supporting the car adjacent the forward end and another adjacent the rear end, as clearly shown in Figure 1. Y

As stated it is an object of the invention to provide a passenger carrying car for amusement devices or swings of this character of a knock down structure7 whereby the same may be readily collapsed to take up a minimum amount of space., and to construct the car to conform in outline to the body or fuselage of a hydroplane. For this purpose I provide a framework built up of angle iron, and comprising a pair of side supporting frames 74 and 7 5 constructed substantially as shown in Figure 6, the iframe 7 5 having cnt out portions to permit of entrance to and exit from the car as shown in Figure l1. The open spaces between the frame members are closed by sheet metal as shown.

The side supporting frames 7a and 75 areV mounted in parallel and spaced relation by transverse bars 7G7 77 and 78 pivotally connected at opposite ends to said frame menibers. and transverse bars 79 at opposite ends with diagonall'iT extending transverse members 80 bolted at opposite ends to the members of the side frames. The frame is provided with a flooringl consisting of matched boards 81 extending transversely of and supported between the bottom` angle irons of the side frames and secured in matched relation by cleats 82. The bars 77 serve as seat supporting members while the bars 76 serve as supports for the seat backs Vor back rests consisting of boards 88 hung from the bars 76 cleats 84, the ends of the boards being adapted to engage upright members of the side supporting frames, as clearly shown in Figure 17. The bars 78 at the forward and rear ends extend beyond the sides and have perforations for the engagementl of hooks connected to the car supporting cables 72, :is shown at 85. One end. of the seat back supporting bar 76 is offset as shown at 86 (Figure 17) to clear the top bar of the side supporting frame when the frame is col lapsed or folded as shown in Figure 18, and to compensate for this offset of the bars the opposite end of the bars have a pin and slot connection with the opposite side frame, as shown at 87.

To make the car body conform to the shape of the body or fuselage of a hydroplane the side supporting frames 74, 75 are provided at the forward end with an end portion or member 88 constructed of an angle iron frame covered with sheet material and shaped to conform to the bow or nose of the Conventional form of a hydroplane, and is releasably connected to the forward end of the frame members 74. 7 5 by rods 89 engaging in corresponding openings or holes :in said frames and frame of the end mem-V ber 88. The rear end of the car is also constructed to conform to the stern or rear end of the fuselage of a hydroplane by releasably connecting thereto an end member 90 shaped to the conventional form of the stern of the fuselage of a'hydropiane, and consisting of a framework built up of angle iron covered with sheet material7 and releasably connected to the end of the side .frames by rods 91 engaging openings in the side supporting frames and end member 99. A member 92 representative of a rudder is releasably connected to the rear of the stern member 90 by a rod 98 engaging openings in the Supporting frame of said rudder and end member 90.

Supported in superposed relation to the car body are a pair of superposed planes 9e consisting of sheet material stretched over and between a frame and maintained in spaced relation by struts 95 and truss wires dial extending cylinder type (designated in a general way by E) is supported between the )lanes at the forward ends and centrally between the lateral ends, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. This engine comprises a hexagonal frame 97 having sheet metal cylindrical members 98 fixed thereto, and is secured to the plane supporting frames by pins or bolts 99. propeller 100 is rotatably supported axially of the cylinder 'Supporting frame 975 said propeller being adapted to be revolved by the action of the air striking against the propeller blades as the car is moved through `the air in the operation of the swing. As the propeller is revolved a toothed or ratchet wheel 101 rotates therewith, and as said wheel is rotated yielding means in the form of a spring detent 102 fixed to the cylinder supporting frame 97 is caused to ride over the teeth of the wheel making a clicking noise representative of or imitating the noise of the exhaust of an internal combustion engine.

To knock down the car the engine is ref moved by releasing the pins or bolts 997 when the planes are released from the car body by loosening or unscrewing the nuts from the extended ends 95 of the struts. The truss wires 96 are then released when the struts 95 may be removed and the planes folded together. The rudder and ends 90 and'88 are then. released by removing the rods 98, 91 and 89. The truss bars 80 are `then unbolted. when the seat backs are moved up` to right angles from the position shown To mount thercarl supporting arms 65' upon the projecting Vend of the shaft section 50 with the cars connected to said arms to beY suspended therefrom hoisting means are provided, as shown in Figure 1G, and consisting of a gin pole 103 arranged to engage the shaft at the inner end above the head 60 and the ou-ter end supported by a truss wire 104. A block and tackle 105 is connected to the outer end of the gin pole and to a connect-ing rivet 66 of the angle irons of the arms 65. The truss members 68 are connected to the shaft head or disk 61 and the arm shackle 70 and Ithe car supporting cables to the shackles 7 3 when the arms are raised to position s0 that the inner ends may be inserted into the head recesses and sockets 63, 64C.

To prevent the cars from swinging inward and colliding with the tower a bumper or guard rail is provided consisting of a hexagonal frame 107 of angle iron which is suspended by cables 108 from lthe car carrying arms 65 to engage between the cars and the tower.

The cars are suspended from the arms 65 so that in the normal idle position of the cars the bottom will clear the top of the base girders and permit loading and unloading of the cars from the ground. To facilitate the loading and unloading of the cars a loading platform 109 extends around the base of the tower and is supported upon ilw base girders.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an aeroplane swing a collapsible tower comprising telescoping secitions; a sectional shaft one shaft section adapted to be rotatably7 mounted in each tower section and the shaft sections coupled co-axially; a

head having a hub portion whereby it is` fixed to the/shaft and having radially extending recesses and sockets therein; and car carrying arms removably supported at one end in the head recesses and sockets and their outer ends trussed from the shaft.

2. In an aeroplane swing a collapsible tower comprising telescoping sections; a sectional shaft rotatably mounted and coaxially coupled in the tower sections; a head having a hub portion whereby said head is fixed to the shaft. said head having an annular flange at the peripheral portion extending parallel with the axis of the head, radial slots in said flange, and sockets iii the hub in line with the recesses; and car carrying armsfremovably engaging and supported at their inner ends in the hub recesses and sockets and their outer ends trussedV from the shaft.

3. In a collapsible aeroplane swing a knock down base; a tower removably mounted on the vbase comprising telescopable and nested sections adapted to beY extended and secured in extended position; a sectionalA shaft rotatably mounted in each tower section and adapted to bero-axially coupled when the tower sections are extended; 'arms removably supported at their linner and outer ends from the upper shaft section to extend radially therefrom; cars suspended from said arms; and iiieans to'rotate the shaft sections for the purpose specified.

1. In an aeroplane swing a tower; a shaft rotatably mounted in said rtower supported at their innerand outer ends to extend radially from the projecting end of the shaft; cars suspended from the extremities of said arms; and a guard suspended from the arms to extend around the tower between the tower and cars for the purpose specified.

5. In an aeroplane swing, a tower comprising sections ieleasably supported iii superposed relation; means for releasably se curing the tower in upright position; a shaft rotatably mounted in the tower sections; a hub fixed to said shaft arranged with sockets and recesses extending radially from said sockets; and passenger car carrying arms mounted in said hub sockets and r'ecesses for the purpose specified.

6. In an aeroplane swing a tower; a shaft rotatably mounted in said tower; arms carried by said shaft to extend radially therefrom beyond the tower; passenger carrying cars suspended from said arms outside of the tower; and a guard rail interposed between the tower and cars and participating in the movement of the cars for the purpose specified. l

7. Iii an aeroplane swing. a hase, a tower comprising sections releasably supported upon the base in superposed relation; means for mounting and securing the tower in upright position; a shaft rotatably mounted in the tower; arms carried by said shaft to extend radially therefrom; passenger carrying cars suspended from the arms outside and in spaced relation to the tower; and a guard rail suspended from the arms and interposed between the tower and cars for the purpose specified.

8. In an aeroplane swing; the combination of a tower; passenger carrying cars carried by said tower to revolve in a horizontal with .the end 3ro eotinfr above the tower' arms interposed between the tower and cars and revoluble with tlie cars to prevent the cars from colliding with the tower Afor the purpose specified. Y

l0. In an aeroplane swing, the combina tion of a tower; passenger carrying cars carried by said tower to revolve in a horizontal plane; and a guard rail encircling tlie tower and revolvable with the cars to prevent the latter from colliding with the tower duringr the revolving movement thereof.

ll. In an apparatus of the character described, a base; a tower detachably secured thereon and comprisiirgr an upper and lower half; said upper half being telescopable within the lower half; detachable means for securngthe upper half of the tower when in raised position, to said lower half; braces connecting the lower half ol said tower and said base, said braces being liingedly and permanently secured to one of the parts and detachably secured to the other; means for raisingr and loweringr said upper balil g a sectional shattdetacliably supported by and centrally of said tower and means for rotating said shaft.

Signed at Beaver Falle1 in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania` this thirtyfirst (lay of December A. D. 1919.

HARRY G; TRAVER. 

